


Longet Journey - December

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drama, F/M, Original Character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-03-04
Updated: 2001-03-04
Packaged: 2019-05-15 19:14:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14796356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: The longest journey begins with a single step.  Or nine months, whichever's easiest.





	1. Longet Journey - December

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

 

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER/NOTES/etc.: See introduction  
SUMMARY: The longest journey begins...

December

"I just want to have a simple little Christmas party. What's so wrong with that?" Jed Bartlet asked as he walked with his best friend down the outside path of the White House. Leo chuckled.

"First of all, you're the President of the United States. With you, nothing is simple. Second, nearly half of your staff is Jewish and therefore they do not celebrate Christmas." Leo added.

"Then call it a holiday party." Jed added. "Besides, only two of them are Jewish."

"Josh, Toby and KD. If we're including the whole staff, than David too." Leo pointed out.

"KD isn't Jewish." Jed retorted.

"She is, and I thought you'd accepted that."

"I've accepted it. I stood by while they got married in a temple by a Rabbi, didn't I?"

"Yeah, and pouted when she asked me to give her away and not you."

"I did not pout."

"You pouted, sir."

"It's a holiday party."

"You be the one to tell them sir. I don't deliver all your messages, especially not this one. You know we don't have the party crowd in our gang, especially when you have a tendency to drone on at these things."

"I don't drone." Jed protested as they entered Mrs. Landingham's office.

"Sir, with all due respect, you drone." Leo retorted.

"I do not. Mrs. Landingham, do I drone?" Jed asked.

"Absolutely not, sir." Mrs. Landingham replied. Jed smiled proudly. "I'd say it's more of a persistent speaker who chooses to enlighten people with useless fact ad nauseum." Mrs. Landingham added, causing Jed's smile to disappear and Leo's to broaden profusely.

"I entertain." Jed insisted before heading for the Oval office. Leo nodded to the presidential secretary and then followed his boss. "Leo, I'm having a holiday party and that's final."

"Yes, sir. I should also point out to you that you will have two sets of newlyweds and a pregnant couple in attendance so things may get hectic." Leo pointed out.

"Are you trying to discourage my holiday party?"

"Just trying to make sure you're aware of what you're asking for."

"I'm not asking. I'm making a presidential order. Have Mrs. Landingham type it out. There will be a holiday party and my staff will attend." Jed retorted.

"Yes, sir." Leo said with a smile. Jed paused, causing Leo to smirk. "Here it comes." He said softly.

"Did you say two sets of newlyweds?" Jed asked suddenly.

"Yes, sir. I did." Leo said before moving out of the office towards his own.

"Who else got married??" Jed called as he followed his best friend. "And why wasn't I invited??"

"I can't believe this." Toby muttered.

"Play nice." KD cooed as she snuggled into her husband's couch.

"At least you're finally resting." He said as he moved to sit next to her, the President's memo in hand.

"Well, I need to conserve my energy. I was thinking of going for a jog around the Potomac." She said seriously.

"Katy, you're 15 weeks pregnant. If you think I'm gonna let you out of my sight while you're carrying my children, you are seriously mistaken." Toby said softly before kissing her forehead gently. "And if the President honestly thinks he can make me go to some stupid `holiday' party, he's-"

"A happy commander-in-chief who simply wants to spend quality time with the people he cares about especially after they chose to exclude him for Thanksgiving." KD interrupted playfully. "Besides, it's not for two weeks now and then we can always leave early cause we all know how sick I can get."

"The joys of having a wife nearly four months in." Toby said softly as he rested his hand on the slight bulge that rested beneath KD's shirt. She smiled and leaned against him. He ran his fingertips over her stomach and then kissed her gently. "There are many joys indeed." He added softly. She smiled and nodded.

"You're right. There are. And you get them all. In the meantime, I get stuck with the pain of childbirth." She teased.

"And then the joy of parenthood." Toby reminded her. She smiled and nodded.

"It occurs to me that... well, we're almost to the fifth month. I'm almost nervous." She said softly.

"You don't have to be." Toby promised her. She smiled.

"I almost forgot. My friend Brent Lacrosse says that the deadline is coming well." KD said suddenly.

"Deadline? What? Who's Brent Lacrosse?" Toby asked.

"Brent Lacrosse is Zarry Teeger's editor and publisher." KD replied with a grin. Toby closed his eyes and groaned, leaning back into the couch.

"You didn't." He growled.

"I did. Teeger's first book of short stories, entitled 'Trials and Tribulations' should be out around February at this rate." KD replied.

"You did." Toby said with a sigh. KD grinned and nodded.

"Now, Mr. President, it can be said that having a `holiday' party that requires mandatory attendance is an abuse of your power." Josh said as he stepped into the hallway and looked around at the decorations.

"I'm the President of the United States, Josh. I can abuse the hell out of whatever I want." The President replied.

"Can I quote you on that?" Josh asked.

"Are you a reporter?" Jed retorted.

"No, but my good friend is currently married to one." Came the reply.

"They're married? When did they get married?" Jed asked.

"Who?" KD asked as she walked up to them with Toby at her side.

"CJ and Danny." Jed clarified.

"They eloped, right after Thanksgiving." Toby recalled.

"That's right. They went to Vegas. Woohoo." Josh said with a grin.

"They went to Vegas?" Jed asked sharply.

"Sir, calm down. You don't want to have a heart attack at your own holiday party." Donna said sweetly.

"My press secretary eloped with one of the most high profile reporters in this town and you're asking me to calm down?" Jed asked in all seriousness.

"Yes." The entire group retorted in unison.

"Get in there." Jed grunted and followed his chuckling staff into the dining room.

"The President is wandering around the room wondering how it's possible that you two could have gotten hitched without him knowing." Leo said with a grin as he held Jeri close against his side.

"Well, he'll just have to take it up with us if he really wants results." CJ said innocently. Danny chuckled and kissed his wife on the cheek. "Besides, it's not like it's the real thing. We just wanted to do something fun and then later on in the year, a few months after the elections, we'll have the whole family shindig."

"What she said." Danny added.

"Well, I'm sure the President would be glad to hear that. Hell, he'll probably knock your father out of the way just to lead you down the aisle." Leo mused. CJ laughed and nodded.

"I don't know if my father would appreciate that." She replied with a chuckle.

"I'm the President of the United States. To heck with that." Jed said as he walked up behind them. "Congratulations, you two." He said with a fond smile. "Although I do wish you guys hadn't snuck out behind my back." He added playfully.

"Anything to escape the grasp of a paternal President." CJ retorted just as playfully.

"Thank you for inviting me, Mr. President. I know it's strange having a member of the press here." Danny said with a grin.

"Not as strange as you might think. After all, Katy was a reporter for a few years." Jed pointed out.

"Yes, sir. I remember." Danny replied.

"As far as I know, Katy's been a little bit of everything over the years." Leo pointed out.

"There comes a time when we all must settle down. It's been my opinion that this is what everyone seems to be doing. Katy and Toby. You two," Jed said, pointing to CJ and Danny. "Josh and Donna. Leo, you and Jeri. Our daughters, Zoey and Charlie and Mallory and Sam. Hell, Danny, you can do a story on how the White house is a wonderful matchmaking service."

"Sounds like a plan, sir." Danny said as they all laughed.

"But it's more than that, sir." CJ interjected. "It's also about doing something to change the world by working with these people. I think it's safe to say that we all know quite a bit more about ourselves than we did before this whole thing started. We met on the campaign trail, few of us knowing one another, and now we're a team that is so in tune with one another, it's like we can never be broken apart."

"Well, that might be a teeny bit too idealistic, but I agree with the sentiment. We're a family here now." Leo agreed.

"The question is, who's who in this family?" Jed asked playfully.

"Well, I'm the boss..." CJ started.

"Hey!" Jed exclaimed as the others broke into laughter.

"Now, if you ask me, I think Joshua is a fine name." Josh said with a grin.

"Why are all the men naturally assuming that these wonderful children of ours are going to be male?" KD asked playfully.

"Well, Josh is a good name for a girl too." Josh said absentmindedly. KD and Donna both laughed.

"No, thanks." Toby said with a smirk as he held his wife close in his arms. KD smiled too and leaned back against him.

"Well, it's as good as Toby Jr. anyway." Josh muttered.

"No, thanks." KD said innocently. Toby frowned, inspiring chuckles from the women again. His wife looked at him and planted an apologetic kiss on his lips. The frown disappeared.

"Anyway. When do you guys figure out what the gender is?" Donna asked as she leaned against her husband.

"If we want to know, we can find out in late January." KD replied softly.

"Do you want to know?" Josh asked. KD leaned back against her husband and shrugged slightly.

"We don't know." Toby said softly.

"You know, it occurs to me that things are gonna get pretty hectic around here. I mean, the primaries are approaching and we're gonna lose you guys right around May, right?"

"Primaries are in March, Josh." Toby interrupted. "When he wins the primaries, the rest of it will be pretty simple. I mean, I'll still work a little bit, even if I spend most of my time with my family. In the meantime, you, Sam, Leo, the President, the entire staff, is going to be working to win him the re-election that everyone wants to give him and everyone wants to see him win."

"It's not gonna be a walk in the park, Toby. He's got high numbers, but they aren't solid and they aren't 100%." Josh retorted.

"But he will be re-election, cause his approval ratings are 54% and he's going strong. His opponent is most likely going to be Hayes or what's his name, uh, Matthews is probably going to try. Who else?" KD asked.

"That one guy." Josh exclaimed.

"Great help, Josh." Toby retorted.

"Mathis." KD remembered.

"Great. He might present a challenge." Donna said softly.

"He's been giving us problems for years, but he's not ready to be President and it's not going to be that hard to prove it." Toby pointed out.

"In other words, we're all still going to have a job a year from now." KD added. "It might take a little work, but we're going to do it."

"You say we, but you two aren't going to be there." Josh pointed out.

"Like hell, we're not." Toby said with a weak smile. KD smiled and leaned against her husband.

"What he said." She agreed.

"Hey, sweetie." Leo said as he walked up to his daughter. Mallory smiled and hugged him hello.

"Hey, dad. You having fun at the `holiday' party?" She asked playfully.

"I don't know where he gets these ideas." Leo said, waving a hand towards the room. "But we all seem to be having fun, so what the hell?"

"Yeah, we are having fun." Mallory agreed. "God, it's nearly the end of another year. Can you believe it?" She said softly.

"A lot has happened this year, yes." Leo said softly. "We've come so far."

"Are you happy, dad?" Mal asked as she leaned against her father's side.

"Yeah, I am." Leo said finally. "I mean, as far as we've come, through the good and the bad, I can honestly say that I'm happy. How about you?" He asked with a smile. Mallory chuckled and nodded.

"Ditto." She said softly. "I never imagined how far we would come. Look at how happy everyone is. I mean, we're all happy. We've all found love. We've all found success. I mean, I always thought that it was just a bunch of propaganda when people told you that you could have everything you wanted. I mean, it's not like we're in paradise, but we're damn close, aren't we?"

"We sure are. And we're on our way to making this country share our happiness." Leo said softly. "Once we do that, I'll be satisfied with my life. I'm satisfied with it as it is, but I can rest easy at the end of the day knowing I tried to make the world a better place. That's paradise for me."

"You're there, dad. You change the world every day." Mallory said softly.

"We all do, I think. Every last one of us." Leo replied. He paused and then looked across the room to where Jeri was talking to Jed and Abbey Bartlet.

"When you going to ask her to marry you?" Mallory asked playfully.

"Soon." Leo said in all honestly before looking at his daughter. "Would that be okay with you?"

"Dad, that would be more than okay with me." Mallory said with a smile. "I like Jeri, and I'm okay with all that now. All that happened before was that everything was moving too fast and I lost track. I got a handle now, and Jeri helped me find it. I'm happy that you found her, and I wish you all happiness." Leo smiled with tear-

filled eyes. Mallory smiled a little wider and hugged her father tightly.

 


	2. Longet Journey - December 2

 

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER/NOTES/etc.: See introduction  
SUMMARY: The longest journey begins... 

"You feeling okay? You want me to get a chair or something?" Jed asked as he walked up to KD. She smiled and then leaned against him.

"Yeah, I'm okay." She assured him tiredly. "You're such a worrywart. I have Toby for that. And Leo, and Abbey, and Josh. Even Danny is all over my case, making sure I take my rest and my naps." 

"I'm not surprised. We all love ya, kid. Leo's your dad. Abbey's your mom. I'm the guy who bugs you. Josh is your brother. Danny... well, Danny." Jed trailed off. "CJ is your sister -"

"It's more than enough." KD said as she yawned. "Don't you just love the holiday season?"

"Yeah, I do." He said with a weak smile.

"Why?" She asked in earnest. "I'm not sure I've ever been able to understand. I know that seeing all the happy, healthy, things-go- wrong-but-we-stay-together Christmas stories on TV built up hopes, but I still can't figure out what the appeal of holidays really is. Tell me, Joss." She said softly.

"Because it allows you to be with your friends and family in a time of joy and togetherness." Jed replied.

"That's a good answer."

"Have you been wondering all this time?"

"My entire life." KD said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"I'm sorry." He said with a weak smile and then gave her a hug. 

She smiled as he placed his hand on her stomach. "We'll have to teach them from the start the true meaning of the holidays, right?"

"Sounds good to me. I mean, how else to teach them the meaning of togetherness than to let them be raised by the White House senior staff and then some?" KD joked with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Absolutely. I mean, they're going to be around four when I leave office, so they'll have had plenty of raising." Jed said with a similar twinkle.

"Pretty sure of yourself, aren't ya?" She teased.

"Yeah, just like always." He retorted. 

"I can just see the feature in Danny's newspaper. `Re-elected Administration bands together to raise staff members' twins' with a nice subtitle `it takes a tribe to raise a child.'" KD joked. Jed nodded. 

"Sounds good to me." He replied. "Listen, kid, I want you to know something."

"I don't know if I can take confessions right now, Joss." KD said with a weak smile.

"I just want you to know that I'm proud of you." Jed said with a weak smile. "You grew up, and you're happy. I feel like I'm losing you, and Zoey. All my kids have grown up and flown away." 

"First of all, none of us can fly, especially me with this weight on my body." KD started. Jed laughed. "Second of all, we'll always be there for you when you need us. Third of all, I'm not your kid." She said with a devilish grin.

"So you keep reminding me." He replied. 

"I think you remember well enough on your own." KD retorted. "But this is our new start in the making." Jed looked at her and read the look in her eyes.

"You're quite correct." He said softly. 

"So don't look at it as losing us. Look at it as us growing up, and you taking that step down the road with us." She added. 

"Once again, you're quite correct." He said with a grin.

"Get used to it." She teased. 

"I think I should." He retorted playfully. KD laughed and nodded.

"Is it just me, or does each year get more and more hectic?" Abbey asked as she walked up to CJ. 

"Yes, ma'am, but I think that applies to days, not just years." CJ replied with a weak smile. 

"We've all grown so much over the past few years." Abbey murmured. 

"Yes, ma'am." CJ replied. 

"If you call me `ma'am' again, I'll smack you upside the head." Abbey warned with a wry smile.

"That's not very much within the holiday spirit, now is it?" CJ teased. 

"You're in a good mood." Abbey noted.

"Aren't I always?" CJ asked innocently.

"Oh, absolutely." Abbey retorted sarcastically. CJ laughed. "It's been a good year. A long year, but a good one." The First lady mused after a pause. CJ nodded and looked around the room at her colleagues. Then she paused and changed her mind. They were her friends. They would be her colleagues for only a short while, but they would always be her friends. 

"Could anyone have predicted that all this would happen?" CJ wondered aloud. "When we started on the Bartlet campaign, your husband could barely remember all our names. Now we're in the White House, sharing joy and good cheer, love has filled each of us... It's like one of those wonderful sappy but heartwarming TV shows that always have such happy endings you know they could never be real... and yet here we are." Se murmured. Abbey looked at her and smirked.

"How very eloquent of you." She said softly. "I agree."

"Hello, Donna." Sam exclaimed as he reached for the punch ladle.

"Sam, do you think I'm a trophy wife for him?" Donna asked softly as she stared at Josh talking to KD and the President. 

"A trophy wife? Donna, I don't think that Josh knows what a trophy wife is. Why do you ask?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. He's just always telling me how beautiful I am, but never anything else." She murmured.

"Donna, you guys have been married less than two months. Josh loves you for your brain and your beauty and for the way you fight with him so well." Sam said with a smile. "If you're a trophy wife, that's not all you are; that's not the sum of you and Josh knows that. He's just... never been a very eloquent guy."

"You can say that again." Donna retorted.

"Josh has never been-" Sam started. 

"Shut up." Donna said, chuckling weakly.

"Listen, you and Josh have had a chemistry from the first moment you two met. I don't know why you would doubt for a minute the reason he loves you. He loves you because you're... you." Sam said, stumbling a little in the end.

"Thank you, Sam." Donna said with a weak smile. "How are things with you and Mallory?"

"They're good. I think we may be back to where we were before, and that makes me happy." Sam replied, glancing across the room to where Mallory was talking to her father and Jeri. 

"That's good. That's really good." Donna said softly.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm just amazed." She admitted, smiling at him. "I mean, we're all so happy. I never would have thought it possible."

"What, that we'd be happy?" Sam asked playfully. "Are we that hopeless?"

"No, that we'd be this much of a family. I mean, we were all strangers, and now it's as if we're all in love or friends or happy with each other. We're... we're happy." Donna explained. Sam paused and looked around the room. KD, Josh and the President were laughing over some unheard joke with Toby slowly approaching them. David and Ginger were talking to Margaret and Mrs. Landingham and smiling. CJ, Danny and the First lady were talking, their faces serious as they explored some deep conversation. Charlie and Zoey were sitting on the couch, talking and laughing as they cuddled closely. Looking upon all this, Sam smiled and then looked at Donna. "You're right. We are." He said with a soft smile.

"So. Toby." Josh exclaimed with a grin. 

"Josh." Toby said absentmindedly as he sipped his wine. There was a brief pause. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"What's it like?" Josh asked suddenly. Toby looked at him blankly.

"What's what like?" He asked pointedly.

"Having a... pregnant wife. What's KD like, you know, how she is?" Josh explained.

"You've finally lost it." Toby said in a normal, calm voice. Josh chuckled weakly.

"No, I just want to know, cause, well, Donna and I were talking, and I was, you know, thinking and..." Josh trailed off.

"You have got to be one of the most ineloquent people I know." Toby muttered before glancing across the room and catching the gaze of his wife. He smiled weakly as she waved at him. "She's the most beautiful woman I have ever known." He added softly. Josh smiled. 

"I think she's pretty great too. After all, she gave Toby Ziegler a heart." He joked. Toby flashed him a glare. "Not that, you know, you didn't, uh, have one before." Josh added weakly. 

"That's what I thought you meant. Any other questions?" Toby asked. 

"Yeah." Josh said with a weak smile. "How does it feel to be a father?" Toby paused and then smiled weakly. 

"It's one of the most wonderful feelings in the world." He said softly. "It's something... ineffable. I haven't even met my children yet, and I can already tell you, I love them." He added softly. Josh smiled a little wider.

"You know, Toby, you're actually a kind of sweet guy." He remarked. Toby shot him another glare. "That's not a bad thing."

"You say it as if nothing could have surprised you more." Toby murmured. 

"Well, I've seen you argue, Toby." Josh retorted as he looked across the room.

"I've seen you argue too, Josh, and you're a teddy bear." Toby retorted as he met his wife's gaze again.

"I take offense to that." Josh exclaimed.

"Seriously though, we took a vote. 98% of the staff thinks you're a teddy bear." Toby assured him. "So if you and Donna ever do have kids, you'll be perfect for the daddy role." He added. Josh grinned.

"Thanks, man. Feels good to hear that." He said. Toby looked at him.

"Cherish it. I'm not in a complimentary mood right now." He replied. 

"You know what, Toby? I think you're gonna be a great dad." Josh said softly. Toby paused and then looked at his friend.

"Thank you." He said softly. Josh smiled. 

"You're welcome." He replied. 

"Hey, Jolly. Stop monopolizing my husband." KD said as she walked up to them. Toby smiled and slipped his arms around her growing waist. 

"Hi, babe." He said softly before kissing her gently.

"Hell, enough of the mushy stuff." Josh teased.

"I think it's sweet." Donna said as she walked up to them.

"I think you're sweet." Josh replied as he pulled her close.

"I think she's many things." KD added. 

"So are you." Toby exclaimed.

"That she is." Josh said softly before kissing Donna's cheek. "She's many, many, many wonderful things."

"Compared to your one quality: You're lucky." Toby teased.

"That I am." Josh replied softly. Donna looked at him and smiled, suddenly reassured. 

"So am I." She whispered before kissing him gently. 

"This is turning out to be okay, huh?" KD asked softly. "And you dreaded it."

"It would be pure hell if you weren't here." Toby assured her.

"Well, shucks." She whispered back before kissing him gently.

"How are you feeling?" He asked tenderly as he held her close. "You need to sit down or something?"

"I'm fine." She replied with a smile. "Come on. Dance with me." 

"There's no dance floor." Toby said softly. "No music."

"Dance with me anyway." She said softly as she rested her head against his chest. He smiled and moved slowly with her to some unheard music. Josh smiled and then moved to take Donna in his arms. Across the room, Jed Bartlet watched as Charlie and Zoey followed suit. 

"They're all grown up." He whispered softly. Abbey smiled and took his arm.

"They all grew up a long time ago." She replied softly. "Most of them, anyway." 

"It's hard to believe that we've been together for more than five years. It seems like so much time." He said softly. Abbey smiled and pulled him into dancing position as the Christmas music began to play.

 


	3. Longet Journey - December 3

 

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER/NOTES/etc.: See introduction  
I honestly don't know who originally wrote "Chestnuts Roasting on an   
open fire (the Christmas song)" but it wasn't me. Don't sue.  
SUMMARY: The longest journey begins... 

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire  
Jack Frost nipping at your nose  
Yuletide carols sung by a choir  
And folks dress up like Eskimos

  


"Hey, beautiful." Leo said softly as he took Jeri in his arms.  
"Hey, handsome." She replied softly as he slowly danced to the   
music. "You look like you're feeling good."  
"I'm considering this my night off. I don't get very many these   
days." He said softly.  
"Don't I know it?" She teased. "But that's okay, cause I'm busy   
too."  
"Unfortunately." He replied softly.   
"Funny, I thought it made us perfect for each other." She said   
playfully.  
"I think a few other things make us perfect for each other." He   
replied softly. She smiled and kissed him gently.   
"I do believe I concur." She whispered.

Everybody knows some turkey and mistletoe  
Can help to make the season bright  
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow  
Will find it hard to sleep tonight

"So how are you feeling, beautiful?" Danny asked as he held CJ   
close in his arms. "You feeling okay, and all that?"  
"Of course." CJ said softly. "Just thinking."  
"About life?" He asked playfully.  
"Among other things." She teased. "There's just so much to   
think about, thinking about this year only. I mean, we're about to   
start a new year, Danny, and so many things are going to change."   
"Do you think so? Are you worried about the elections?" Danny   
asked.  
"No, not really." She admitted. "I mean, this is going to be my   
first year as a married woman." She added with a playful smile.   
"What a great way to start." Danny retorted playfully.

They know that Santa's on his way  
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies  
On his sleigh  
And every mother's child is going to spy  
To see if reindeer really know how to fly

"You're so beautiful." Toby whispered as he held KD close. She   
smiled and rested her head against his chest.   
"Thank you. You're what I live for, Toby." She said softly. He   
smiled and gently stroked her hair.   
"And I you." He whispered. "How is it that we came this far?"  
"You mean how did we come from hating each other to sharing our   
lives in less than three years?" She teased.   
"I never hated you." He protested.  
"Please." She retorted.   
"I didn't!" He insisted softly. "Why, did you hate me?"   
"No." KD assured him. "I was just scared to death of you."   
"Scared?" Toby repeated, a little surprised. She looked at   
him. "You were scared of me?" He asked.  
"Well, you were always yelling." She said weakly.   
"I wasn't." He insisted.   
"You were cute when you yelled, but you were still scary. I   
mean, you threatened to kill me, remember?" She reminded him. There   
was a pause.  
"I was cute when I yelled, huh?" Toby asked playfully.  
"You still are, but don't use that as an excuse to yell. You're   
cute other times too." She replied with a smile.  
"Like when?" He asked innocently.  
"Oh, I don't know. Like right now." She said softly before   
kissing him gently.

And so, I'm offering this simple phrase  
To kids, from one to ninety-two  
Although it's been said  
Many times, many ways  
Merry Christmas to you

Mrs. Landingham stood in the corner of the room and gazed out   
at her children. They were her children, even the President and his   
wife. She knew each of them by heart, and she loved each of them.   
Toby and KD were laughing softly, Sam and Mallory were dancing   
forehead to forehead. Leo and Jeri were sitting on the couch talking   
to Charlie and Zoey. The President and the First lady were talking to   
David and Ginger and laughing all the while. CJ and Danny were   
talking to Josh and Donna, and they were laughing too. They were all   
her children.   
Her two sons had been killed so long ago in a war that she   
herself didn't know if she believed in. They were killed on   
Christmas, and ever since, she'd never felt the same about the   
holiday. But for some reason, she felt the need to be there tonight;   
she felt the need to see her children again. Her sons would never   
come back, but as she looked out on the young people in the room, she   
felt like a mother again.  
She knew each of them and loved them; she took care of them.   
The president and his eating habits; Leo and his personal adventures;   
CJ and her conscience; Sam and his innocence; KD and her constant   
fluctuations in emotion; Toby and his hidden heart; all the others   
and their traits, all of them were her children, and they all gave   
her a reason to keep moving on from day to day. They were the reason   
she had not retired. They were the reason she still showed up for   
work every single day.   
They were her family. They were her children. They were her   
reason for living. And she loved them all.   
"Okay guys, time for the exchange of presents!" Jed called.  
"Sir, it's December 18th. We're not supposed to open presents   
until Christmas." Charlie pointed out.  
"It's Hanukkah, isn't it?" Jed pointed out. Josh and Toby   
looked at each other and then smiled weakly.   
"Well, yes, sir..." Josh started.   
"There we go. Leo, did you get it?" The President asked.  
"Yes, sir." Leo exclaimed as he brought in a Menorah. "If we   
can't have Christmas together, we'll take what we can get."  
"Eloquently put, Leo." Toby said dryly.  
"Hey, there's a reason why I don't write the speeches." Leo   
retorted.   
"Come on. Present time!" Jed exclaimed and then started passing   
out shiny wrapped boxes to everyone. People laughed and joined in the   
makeshift celebration, passing the boxes around.

Although, it's been said  
Many times, many ways  
Merry Christmas  
Merry Christmas,   
Oh, Merry Christmas to you


End file.
